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I am a year post op from a L3 L4 L5 S1 spinal fusion using titanium scews, rods and cages with INFUSE BONE GRAFT material made by Medtronics. I have done reasonably well as far as pain levels, but have been seriously ill with general poor health ,fatigue ,loss of sleep and appetite. Doctors have done a full battery of tests, blood work, catscans, chest xrays, heart tests, and the hemotologist has ruled out anything related to blood disease, except that the white blood cell count has remained elevated. Recently the surgeon agreed with the hemotologist that there could be a bone infection or rejection of the INFUSE Bone Graft material. Has Medtronics found any instances of this occurring. I have been extremly sick since shortly after the surgery.for over a year.View Thread

Hello INFUSED 2003,I have read so much on this issue , it is becoming to much to digest. Three of the 5 doctors I am seeing seem to agree that everything points to rejection of the INFUSE material. But they haven't been able to tell me how they can prove this. As a side note, the surgeon said "We can always take it out" and I asked "then what". That would put me right back in the situation that required the 3rd surgeery to begin with. Without the surgery my spinal cord was becoming compromised due to disk failure. Sadly, the surgeon didn't give me the option of INFUSE or as in the previous 2 surgery in which they use material from my hip both of which had great success. Sadly the disks above and below the 2nd surgery were beginning to failed and collapse could have resulted in paralysis. And still a year post op I am having to deal with the symptoms that I described earlier. I literally feel as though I am slowly dying. Chronic fatque, short of breath, lack of appetite, can't sleep, no energy to do even the simplest of tasks. Several doctors have run every test you can imagine. My WBC and several other indicators remain elevated but everything has been ruled out except that an infection in my body is nindicated and the culprit seems to be rejection or attacking the INFUSE BONE GRAFT, I have been dealing with Pain issues since my original injury in 1999, and if my pain level never went below what it is now (5-6)I could deal with that, but not know what I am dealing with now is very depressing, frustrating ,ect. Thanks to all who offer advice..GOD BLESS JohnView Thread

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